Alvis FV-600 Saracen

Notes:This was one of the first British APCs developed after World War 2.It was phased out of British service in 1993, and partially scrapped or
sold off; Saracens are now a hot item for collectors as well as movie companies.
Production began in 1952, and included a
number of variants.The original
command version, the FV-602, was almost immediately cancelled, but later another
command fit was approved; the FV-601 is Saladin armored car and is dealt with on
a different page, but shares a common chassis.The Saracens, in the form of the FV-603 APC version, found themselves
almost immediately in combat service in Malaya; since then, they have seen
further combat service in Aden, the Sri Lankan Civil War, and Northern Ireland.The Saracen is now out of service with most countries, but former and the
few current users include Australia, Brunei, the Hong Kong Police, Indonesia,
Jordan Kuwait, Niger, South Africa (one of the earliest countries to take them
out of service), Sri Lanka (who still uses them), Sudan (also still uses them),
Thailand, and of course, Britain.
In the US, the Sierra Vista Police Department in Arizona uses one as part of its
SWAT team, and the Tulsa, Oklahoma uses a Saracen body over a commercial truck
chassis.There is an operational
FV-603 in the Yad la-Shiryon museum in Israel, though where they got it is
unknown.

The Saracen
consists of large body with moderately-sloped armor on the front and sides,
except for the vertical front radiator, which has armored louvers; the nose of
the vehicle is large and bulbous.
The front of the vehicle has a small cab which carries only the driver; he has a
small bullet-resistant windshield with an armored shutter that has a vision slit
in it, as well as windows to each side of his position (facing slightly
forwards) which have the same armored shutters.The commander occupies a small turret in the roof behind the driver’s
position, which has a small hatch in the roof which is a tight squeeze to get in
and out of.The primary access for
the crew and troops is through two doors in the rear face.The rear deck has a ring mount with a weapon mount, and there are three
firing ports on each side and two in the rear doors.These firing ports are merely swing-up shutters, and any weapon of up to
40mm in size that has no backblast can be used from them. Each front bumper has
three smoke grenade launchers mounted on it.

The original
version, the FV-603 APC, was originally fitted with an M-1919A4 in its turret
and a Bren gun on the rear ring mount.Later, these were replaced with an L-37A1 in the turret and an L-7A2 on
the ring mount. The most common engine was a Rolls-Royce B80 Mk 6A
160-horsepower gasoline engine, though some 25% were re-engined with Perkins
Phaser 180 MTi diesel developing 180 horsepower in the 1990s.Versions operating in Northern Ireland were fitted with screens to block
Molotov cocktails on the front and sides.Some countries fitted the Saracen with an appliqué armor kit for the hull
in the mid-1990s. (Both of these occurred for other countries, and happened
after the Saracen left British service.) Propulsion is 6x6, with an off-road
suspension and run-flat tires fitted later in its career (in the early 1980s).
About the time the run-flat tires were fitted, the brakes were also improved.
Armor protection is sufficient to stop most small arms rounds and shell
fragments.

The FV-604 ACV
(Armored Command Vehicle) does not have a turret, but retains the rear ring
mount.The place where the turret
was is replaced with a simple unarmed cupola. The primary difference is a
reduced crew and increased radio equipment, as well as a “penthouse” tent
extension above the hull which could be erected for a sleeping area or to stow
additional equipment.The FV-610
ACP (Armored Command Post) is a command variant designed for use by higher
echelons; it has map boards, plotting and office supplies, and further increased
radio equipment. It also has
a folding table and chairs, and a tent attached to the rear that doubles the
available work area when erected at a halt.Large stowage baskets are added to the sides of the vehicle for items
like a generator or other bulk items.The FV-610 version is used at brigade or higher levels; it differs from
the FV-604 in that it is wider, higher, has an extra map board, two extra radios
and a 5kW generator fitted as standard.

The Saracen
Ambulance (FV-611) is externally similar to the Saracen FV-604 ACV; internally,
it contains medical equipment and stretcher racks.The FV-611 has a refrigerator for perishable medical supplies, 3
stretchers, a doctor's medical bag, a platoon's worth of refills for the
personal medical kit, an air conditioning and heating unit, a respirator, a
defibrillator, and a selection of other medical supplies, including the
equivalent of one doctor’s medical bag and 15 personal medical kits, as well as
items such as cravats and splints.
A 5kW generator is carried to power the vehicle when the engine is turned off.
This version also does not have a turret nor is it armed in any way, though the
rear roof hatch is retained. The FV-611 can carry three stretcher cases and two
seated patients, or 8 seated patients; a medic is also carried in the rear.

Twilight 2000
Notes: In 1997, the remaining stocks were returned to service to replace vehicle
losses, and they became a common sight in the British Isles and to a lesser
extent, in Europe.South Africa
likewise took theirs out of service shortly before the war, but also returned
them to service later.Indonesia,
Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka also used them during the
Twilight War.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

FV-603 (Gas)

$28,380

G, A

1
ton

10.2
tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-603 (Diesel)

$28,654

D, A

1
ton

10.2
tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-603 (Gas) w/Appliqué

$28,776

G, A

900 kg

10.5 tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-603 (Diesel) w/Appliqué

$29,050

D, A

900 kg

10.5 tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-604 (Gas)

$29,957

G, A

500
kg

10.5 tons

2+4

7

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-604 (Diesel)

$30,231

D, A

500
kg

10.5 tons

2+4

7

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-610 (Gas)

$31,768

G, A

500
kg

10.5 tons

2+4

4

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-610 (Diesel)

$32,042

D, A

500
kg

10.5 tons

2+4

4

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-611 (Gas)

$31,997

G, A

500
kg

10.4 tons

*

5

Headlights

Enclosed

FV-611 (Diesel)

$32,271

D, A

500
kg

10.4 tons

*

5

Headlights

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

FV-603 (Gas)

135/68

62/31

200

86

CiH

W(3)

TF2TS2TR2HF4HS4HR2

FV-603 (Diesel)

148/74

68/34

200

91

CiH

W(3)

TF2TS2TR2HF4HS4HR2

FV-603 (Gas) w/Appliqué

132/67

61/31

200

89

CiH

W(3)

TF2TS2TR2HF5HS5HR3

FV-603 (Diesel) w/Appliqué

145/73

67/34

200

94

CiH

W(3)

TF2TS2TR2HF5HS5HR3

FV-604/610 (Gas)

132/67

61/31

200

89

Stnd

W(3)

HF4HS4HR2

FV-604/610 (Gas)

145/73

67/34

200

94

Stnd

W(3)

HF4HS4HR2

FV-611 (Gas)

133/67

62/31

200

88

Stnd

W(3)

HF4HS4HR2

FV-611 (Diesel)

146/73

68/34

200

93

Stnd

W(3)

HF4HS4HR2

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

FV-603

None

None

M-1919A4, Bren L-2A4 (Rear) (Later L-37A1 and L-7A2)

1500x.30-06, 1500x7.62mm (later 3000x7.62mm)

FV-604/610

None

None

Bren
L-2A4 (Rear) (Later L-7A2)

1500x7.62mm

BAE Simba

Notes: The
then-GKN Sankey company designed the Simba as a private venture; this is often
done by defense companies, hoping for sales later.As such, the Simba had sales only to the Philippine Army and police,
largely for internal security and crowd suppression roles. The Philippine Army
ordered most of its vehicles with a turret mounting an M-2HB machinegun; most of
these Simbas were actually assembled in the Philippines by Asian Armored
Technologies.Some of their
vehicles do have the turret with a 25mm autocannon and a coaxial machinegun.BAE offers the Simba in other configurations as well, though these have
not seen any sales as of yet.The
Simba shares many automotive components with the AT-105 Saxon.

The basic Simba
configuration seats the driver on the front left, with the turret behind him and
the troop compartment in the rear.
The driver has a hatch above him, and bullet-resistant windows around him.The Standard APC has a cupola for the commander behind the driver (on a
slightly-raised platform).The
vehicle has a large clamshell door on the left side under the turret, and a door
in the rear. Four vision blocks are fitted on each side and another in the rear
door; firing ports are an option, normally only two are fitted to each side and
one in the rear.The troops are
seated on folding bench seats on either side of the vehicle.The engine is to the driver’s right and is a Perkins 210Ti Phaser
turbocharged diesel developing 210 horsepower.Transmission is automatic.
Frontal armor is substantial, but side and rear armor are none too thick.

The standard APC
turret is a one-man with light armor mounting an M-2HB machinegun, and vision
blocks all around.A searchlight is
mounted on the turret on the front, just above the machinegun mantlet.Four smoke grenade launchers can be found on each side of the turret. The
AIFV version has a larger turret with a 25mm autocannon housing the commander
and a gunner; a lighter version of this turret uses a 20mm autocannon.Another version uses the small turret, but armed with an automatic
grenade launcher. These have hatches on the turret roof for the commander and
gunner. Self-propelled ATGM carriers and fire support vehicles have also been
devised, but will not be discussed here.

Other APC
versions include the Low-Profile APC, which is essentially an APC with the
turret lopped off and a pintle-mounted weapon in its place.Designed for police use, it has a searchlight on the roof, as well as a
PA system and flashing lights and a siren.Another police version, the Simba IS (Internal Security), has a small
turret with a 38mm riot control grenade launcher. Sometimes a water cannon will
be mounted, and the rear troop area will have a large water tank in it.It also has a PA system, and flashing lights and sirens.It has added mesh armor to stop Molotov cocktails and a 5-ton winch with
100 meters of cable.

Twilight 2000
Notes: These vehicles were used in a very ugly manner in the Philippines before
and for decades after the Twilight War, with weapons and crews firing directly
into crowds with live ammunition.A
factory for these vehicles was set up in the Philippines just before the
Twilight War, and continued operating and exporting these vehicles for at least
10 years after the Twilight War before being burned by rioters.In Britain, production of these vehicles for home use did not start until
the Twilight War, and the Simbas used by Britain were largely employed in an
internal security role, mostly against marauders, Scottish separatists, and IRA
terrorists.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Standard APC

$26,062

D, A

1.7 tons

11.2 tons

2+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

Low-Profile APC

$21,462

D, A

1.9 tons

11 tons

2+10

6

Headlights

Enclosed

IS

$30,737

D, A

1.8 tons

11.1 tons

2+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AIFV-20

$50,234

D, A

1.5 tons

11.6 tons

3+7

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AIFV-25

$54,569

D, A

1.5 tons

11.7 tons

3+7

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AIFV-40

$64,214

D, A

1.4 tons

11.9 tons

3+7

6

Headlights

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Standard APC

155/78

72/36

296

108

CiH

W(3)

TF4TS3TR3HF8HS3HR3

Low-Profile APC

158/79

73/37

296

106

Stnd

W(3)

HF8HS3HR3

IS

157/79

72/37

296

107

CiH

W(3)

TF4TS3TR3HF8HS3HR3

AIFV-20

151/76

70/35

296

112

Trtd

W(3)

TF6TS4TR4HF8HS3HR3

AIFV-25

150/76

70/35

296

113

Trtd

W(3)

TF6TS4TR4HF8HS3HR3

AIFV-40

149/75

69/34

296

115

Trtd

W(3)

TF6TS4TR4HF8HS3HR3

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Standard APC

+1

Basic

M-2HB

900x.50

Low-Profile APC

None

None

L-7A2 (C)

1500x7.62mm

IS

+1

Basic

38mm Grenade Launcher

300x38mm

AIFV-20

+2

Basic

20mm KAA Autocannon, L-37A1

750x20mm, 1500x7.62mm

AIFV-25

+2

Basic

25mm M-242 Chaingun, L-37A1

750x25mm, 1500x7.62mm

AIFV-40

+2

Basic

40mm Mk 19, L-37A1

500x40mm, 1500x7.62mm

GKN Sankey AT-105 Saxon

Notes: The story
of the AT-105 Saxon actually began a few years earlier than the AT-105 appeared.The British were looking for what were essentially armored trucks for use
by the BAOR to quickly ferry around troops, cargo, and equipment on the
battlefield, and do so relatively cheaply; the vehicle wasn’t intended to be a
main-force APC and so heavy armor and armament were only secondary
considerations.A wheeled vehicle
was desired due to the much higher road speeds; the vehicle was meant to quickly
ferry reinforcements and supplies from German ports and airfields.This resulted in the AT-100 IS, a vehicle that was pretty much a truck
with an armored shell that was deemed unsatisfactory and not proceeded with
beyond some perfunctory testing.

The AT-104 –
The Predecessor

The AT-104 came
next; it too was a large armored truck body with some resemblance to the
Cadillac Gage Ranger, though more squared-off. Customers included the Royal
Brunei Malay Regiment and the Dutch State Police, but the British Army was still
not satisfied.The chassis of the
AT-104 is based on the 4x4 Bedford MK medium truck.The driver and commander sit in an armored cab in front, and see through
relatively small bullet-resistant windows that can be closed off with armored
shutters or with wire mesh screens.
The radiator can also be protected with armored shutters.The cab has doors in each side, and these doors also have small windows.The rear carried the troops, including an elevated firing cupola, and
troop seats down the sides of the vehicle.Two doors in the rear provide ingress and egress. A large amount of
options were offered, from air conditioning to ramming bumpers to smoke grenade
launchers.The armor is thin, but
the tires are run-flat.Power could
be provided by a Bedford 300 134-horsepower gasoline engine or a Bedford 330
98-horsepower diesel engine.The
transmission is automatic. Despite production lasting from 1972 to 1976, only 30
were built; Brunei still uses some of them, but most have been scrapped or are
in the hands of private collectors, where they seem to be in high demand.

The AT-105
Saxon

The Saxon had a
long development period from its AT-104 roots – first prototypes appeared in
1976, but the British Army did not accept its first ones until 1983.Other users include Bahrain, Brunei, the Malaysian Police, Oman, and
Iraq, who have recently bought 60 of them.Kuwait is considering a buy, one in Nigerian paint was seen in a BBC
article even though they are not official users of the Saxon, and Serbia is
believed to still operate one which they captured from IFOR.Hong Kong is a former user, though their Saxons have been sold off to
other countries. The British themselves still operate some 640, though they are
slated to be replaced by whatever vehicle results from the FRES program sometime
around 2015. The Saxon has seen combat service with IFOR and KFOR as well as in
Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, and various UN peacekeeping missions.

The Saxon is
essentially an extension and enlargement of the AT-104 concept, and does
resemble a larger version of the AT-104 in many ways.The front end is a bit more sloped, however.Armor protection overall is also somewhat improved.More importantly, the Saxon is an early example of MRAP technology –
though the hull does not have a full V-shape, it is curved on the bottom, and
the fenders are designed to blow off rather than focus blast.The crew and passenger seats are designed to help absorb the shock and
blast of an explosion.The engine
is below the driver and commander, helping shield them from a mine blast.
However, the MRAP technology of the Saxon absorbs only 10% of the internal
damage to occupants and equipment. The suspension is also raised in general, and
has more of an off-road profile, including large run-flat tires.Hatches are found above the driver and commander, as well as their cab
doors.Window and door appointments
are largely the same as on the AT-104.There are two firing ports in either side of the hull and one in each
rear door; these are merely slits that slide open and can take any weapon up to
a 40mm grenade launcher in size.
Several variants are available; however, details, such as air conditioning,
spotlights, ramming bumpers, and smoke grenade launchers may differ from vehicle
to vehicle. The basic vehicle has an elevated cupola atop the passenger
compartment with a weapon mount, but some versions also differ in this detail.Most military versions have three smoke grenade launchers on each side of
the turret; police versions sometimes use launchers which fire irritant gas
grenades.Some early versions were
fitted with a gasoline engine, but virtually all countries and users have
converted theirs to use either a Bedford 500 164-horsepower diesel engine or a
Perkins T6-354-4 195-horsepower diesel. (Most countries, including Britain, use
the Bedford engine.)Transmission
is automatic.

Aside from the
basic APC, variants include a version on a slight dose of steroids called the
LHD.This version has a low turret
with heavier armament and a little better armor protection.

The Saxon Incident Control Vehicle was the first version of the Saxon issued to
police, in Hong Kong, Nigeria, Oman, and the UK.They are standard Saxons with doors on either side of the hull, wire mesh
screens to deflect Molotov cocktails, an actual small turret instead of a
superstructure (like most police versions), a front-mounted obstacle-clearing
blade, smoke or irritant gas grenade dischargers, and a low-light TV system on
an extendable boom on the rear deck of the vehicle with a monitor, VCR, and
playback systems inside the hull.
The Patrol version was designed for British Police and Army forces in Northern
Ireland, replacing the Humber One-Ton, and is an improved version of the ICV.It adds four roof-mounted spotlights atop the vehicle, an external public
address system, an anti-wire device on a pole to keep cupola gunner’s safe, an
armored radiator cover, and improved brakes. Armed police versions are shown
below, though just as often the turret is armed with a riot control grenade
discharger, reloadable from inside the turret. 50% of the frontal hits will hit
the front-mounted obstacle blade, which increases the armor value against that
his to 8Sp.

The Saxon
Command Vehicle is a command post variant of the Saxon APC, normally used at the
platoon and company level.It
carries slightly heavier armament than the Saxon APC, but its primary use is as
a command and staff vehicle, so it carries at least one short-range, two
medium-range, and one-long-range radio, a map board, a teleprinter, a folding
table and chairs, and various storage drawers.Later versions delete the teleprinter in favor of a ruggedized laptop
computer, and add another data-capable long-range radio. The command version has
a simple pintle mount for a machinegun, normally surrounded by AV2 gun shields.

The ambulance version
of the Saxon is minimally appointed for the medical role, but does have
stretchers, a selection of medical supplies (the equivalent of one doctor’s
medical bag and 10 personal medical kits), an oxygen tank, and a defibrillator.Its shock absorbers are better than the average Saxon, and it has air
conditioning and heating.Bins have
been added to the sides and top of the vehicle for supplies.It is unarmed.It has room
for a medic in the rear as well as 2 stretcher cases or one stretcher case and 6
seated patients.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

AT-104 (Gas Engine)

$13,039

G, A

900
kg

8.9
tons

3+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-104 (Diesel Engine)

$12,889

D, A

900
kg

8.8
tons

3+8

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 APC (164hp)

$18,145

D, A

1.1
tons

10.7
tons

3+9

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 APC (195hp)

$18,260

D, A

1.1
tons

10.7
tons

3+9

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 LHD (164hp)

$26,811

D, A

1
ton

10.9
tons

3+9

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 LHD (195hp)

$26,926

D, A

1
ton

10.9
tons

3+9

6

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 ICV (164hp)

$24,627

D, A

600
kg

10.9
tons

3+6

7

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 ICV (195hp)

$24,742

D, A

600
kg

10.9
tons

3+6

7

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 Patrol (164hp)

$29,627

D, A

600
kg

10.9
tons

3+6

7

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 Patrol (195hp)

$29,742

D, A

600
kg

10.9
tons

3+6

7

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 CV (164hp)

$20,282

D, A

650
kg

10.9
tons

3+4

8

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 CV (195hp)

$20,397

D, A

650
kg

10.9
tons

3+4

8

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 CV Improved (164hp)

$199,954

D, A

650
kg

11
tons

3+4

8

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 CV Improved (195hp)

$200,109

D, A

650
kg

11
tons

3+4

8

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 AMV (164hp)

$20,867

D, A

650
kg

10.9
tons

**

7

Headlights

Enclosed

AT-105 AMV (195hp)

$20,982

D, A

650
kg

10.9
tons

**

7

Headlights

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

AT-104 (Gas Engine)

169/41

39/10

160

88

Stnd

W(2)

HF3HS2HR2

AT-104 (Diesel Engine)

132/32

31/8

160

43

Stnd

W(2)

HF3HS2HR2

AT-105 APC (164hp)

133/67

31/16

153

82

Stnd

W(2)

HF5HS3HR2*

AT-105 APC (195hp)

151/76

35/18

153

100

Stnd

W(2)

HF5HS3HR2*

AT-105 LHD/ICV/Patrol/CV (164hp)

131/66

31/15

153

84

CiH

W(2)

TF2TS2TR2HF5HS4HR2*

AT-105 LHD/ICV/Patrol/CV (195hp)

149/75

35/17

153

102

CiH

W(2)

TF2TS2TR2HF5HS4HR2*

AT-105 CV Improved (164hp)

130/65

31/15

153

85

Stnd

W(2)

HF5HS3HR2*

AT-105 CV Improved (195hp)

148/74

35/17

153

103

Stnd

W(2)

HF5HS3HR2*

AT-105 AMV (164hp)

149/75

35/17

153

102

Stnd

W(2)

HF5HS3HR2*

AT-105 AMV (195hp)

130/65

31/15

153

85

Stnd

W(2)

HF5HS3HR2*

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

AT-104/AT-105 APC/CV

None

None

L-7A2

1000x7.62mm

AT-105 LHD

None

None

M-2HB, L-7A2

400x.50, 650x7.62mm

AT-105 ICV/Patrol

None

None

L-7A2 or 37mm or 40mm Riot Grenade Launcher

1000x7.62mm or 40x37/40mm Grenades

*Floor AV is
4Sp.

**See Notes
above for crew and passenger capacity.

GKN Sankey FV-1611 Humber

Notes:This vehicle, designed in the mid-1950s, is more commonly known as the
Pig to its British crews.It was
developed from the FV-1600 truck, and used heavily in Northern Ireland, where
there was an insufficient supply of Saracen and Saxon APCs.They were on the verge of being totally withdrawn from service in the
late 1960s, but as violence in Northern Ireland took an upswing, scrapping
stopped and they were pressed back into service.By the mid-1990s, however, the remainder had been replaced by more modern
vehicles. Most survivors are now in the hands of collectors and museums, and
they are few in number.

Being a version
of the FV-1600 truck, the Humber is an armored version of that truck, though the
interior is heavily rearranged to form it into an APC.It is a large, boxy, steel construction, with a large hood with a cab
behind it, and an armored troop compartment in the rear.Armor is all-welded, and largely of steel plates.The cab has a large windshield to the front which can be closed with an
armored shutter which has vision slits in it.The cab doors likewise have bullet-resistant windows.The radiator opening also has armored shutters.Atop the commander’s and driver’s position are a pair of hatches.The rear face has a pair of doors with small windows in them.In each side and in each rear door are flip down firing ports (two on
each side); as these firing ports are merely shuttered rectangular openings,
they may take any sort of weapon of up to 40mm size.In practice, a ventilator was often fitted to one of the firing ports on
each side.

There are seats
for six troops in the rear, though in service it was routine for two more troops
to stand or sit on the floor. Power is provided by a Rolls-Royce B60 Mk 5A
120-horsepower gasoline engine.In
the 1970s, most Humbers received an armor upgrade; though this greatly increased
weight and reduced speed, it increased protection.Run-flat tires were also fitted.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Humber

$4,442

G, A

1 ton

5.8 tons

2+6

4

Headlights

Enclosed

Humber w/Appliqué

$4,943

G, A

700 kg

7tons

2+6

Headlights

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Humber

207/51

48/12

145

78

Stnd

W(2)

HF3HS2HR2

Humber w/Appliqué

183/45

42/10

145

94

Stnd

W(2)

HF4HS4HR2

Glover Webb APV (Armored Patrol Vehicle)

Notes:The APV was selected for use as a light armored car by British Forces in
Northern Ireland, with the first of 100 vehicles being delivered in 1986 and
deliveries being completed in 1994.
None have been produced since that time, and most APVs have been retired from
active military service.The APV
was also used by British forces and by the UN during some peacekeeping
operations.Some use of the APV is
still made by police forces in Britain and some other countries, and as armored
vehicles for dignitary protection.

The APV
basically looks like an armored SUV; this is because it
is an armored SUV, based on the Land
Rover Defender 4x4 chassis. The APV has reinforced ramming bumpers which can be
used to smash some obstacles out of the way, and a recessed part of the hood is
where a spare tire is kept.A large
bullet-resistant is up front, and the cab sides and the rear of the vehicle also
have bullet resistant glass.
Optionally, this can also be put into the sides of the rear itself.The roof behind the cab has a hatchway with a manually-rotating cupola
and a pintle mount, and the APV normally has a high wire-cutting projection
above the roof on the left side at the front of the cab.This stops a low-hanging wire from injuring a gunner in the cupola.Armor is relatively thin, but adequate for its intended purpose,
construction is largely of composite materials, with polycarbonate anti-spalling
liners.The floor has an additional
composite armor plate.The engine
and fuel tanks are protected by a fire detection and suppression system, and the
fuel tank has further explosion protection and is above the floor armor plate.Wire mesh grills typically protect the front of the vehicle, including
the windshield, as well as a rotating spotlight atop the vehicle and operated by
the gunner.The windshield grill
can be folded down onto the hood.
Appliqué armor is available for the APV, normally in the form of add-on Kevlar,
steel, or aluminum plates.Tires
are normally of the run-flat type.

Aside from the
two cab doors, there are twin doors in the rear of the vehicle.The passengers sit down either side of the vehicle, with the gunner also
being one of the troops carried. Optional features include air conditioning
and/or heating, firing ports and/or vision blocks, a siren and flashing
emergency lights, smoke grenade launchers, and a front-mounted winch of various
capacities.The standard engine is
a 114-horsepower turbocharged gasoline engine.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

APV

$16,538

G, A

900
kg

5
tons

3+5

4

WL
Spotlight

Enclosed

APV
w/Appliqué

$17,299

G, A

800
kg

5.2
tons

3+5

4

WL
Spotlight

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

APV

220/54

51/13

125

73

Stnd

W(2)

HF2HS2HR2*

APV
w/Appliqué

215/52

50/12

125

76

Stnd

W(2)

HF3HS3HR3**

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

APV

None

None

L-7A2

1750x7.62mm

*Floor AV is 3.

**Roof and floor armor are 3.

Glover Webb/BAE Tactica

Notes: This
vehicle was originally built as a private venture by Glover Webb, who hoped to
attract sales from the British Army, knowing they needed armored vehicles for
use in Northern Ireland.The
British did order them, though the first Tacticas actually entered service with
Singapore in 1988, and several other countries before entering British service
in 1993.Saudi Arabia is actually
the largest user; they use some 261 of the Patrol version.The Tactica is in use in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and the
Middle East.

The Tactica is
actually two vehicles sharing a common chassis, but with very different bodies.One, the Patrol version, is similar to an armored SUV and is used as a
patrol vehicle and for dignitary protection and transport.As such, it can accommodate its crew and passengers in bench seats down
each side of the rear, of in traditional rows of seats.The roof of the vehicle has a small cupola with a pintle mount for a
weapon.The patrol version has a
traditional flat hood and a ramming bumper up front, and three firing ports in
each side and two in the rear.The
rear has a large door, and the cab has doors in each side.The rear has bullet-resistant windows, and the front has a large
one-piece bullet-resistant windshield and the cab doors large windows.Steps are provided into the vehicle to get inside, with the rear ones
folding up.One of the troops mans
the gun.

The APC version
is shaped more like an armored bus, with a large, boxy body and plenty of
headroom for the passengers.The
troop compartment is longer, as the driver and commander sit in a cabover
configuration.The ramming bumper
remains, as do the firing ports and windows.The APC version has twin doors in the rear.The APC version has four firing ports in each side. A bulkhead separates
the cab from the troop section.

Both can have
the options of air conditioning and heating, as well as more luxurious
accommodations (especially on dignitary protection models), flashing lights,
sirens, and a PA system.The spare
tire for the Patrol version is carried under the rear, while the spare tire for
the APC version is atop the cab. The front corners of the roof have clusters of
four smoke grenade launchers. Power is provided by a 176-horsepower Perkins
1006-6TW TD diesel.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Patrol

$27,812

D, A

1.2 tons

7.7 tons

2+7

6

WL Searchlight

Enclosed

APC

$28,312

D, A

1.9 tons

10 tons

2+12

3

WL Searchlight

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Patrol

229/56

53/13

167

89

Stnd

W(3)

HF4HS2HR2

APC

190/47

44/11

167

116

Stnd

W(3)

HF4HS2HR2

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

(Both)

None

None

L-7A2 or M-2HB

2900x7.62mm or 1750x.50

Hotspur Hussar

Notes:This is a large armored car with a passing resemblance to the old
BTR-152, though it is of course not related to that vehicle.It is designed for more intense rioting and urban raid situations where
more troops are needed; it can also function as a light APC.The British used small numbers of it in Northern Ireland, and it is also
used in Bahrain, Egypt, and Sri Lanka; the British no longer use it.Production is currently for spare parts, and complete vehicles are built
only upon demand.

The Hussar is
basically an armored truck, with an engine in front, cab behind it, and a rear
troop area.The suspension is 6x6,
though a 4x6 configuration can also be selected by the driver (the four rear
wheels becoming the drive wheels). The chassis is a stretched Land Rover 110,
with an additional rear axle. There is a large space between the front wheels
and the two rear pairs. The cab has bullet resistant windows in the front and
sides, and a varying number of side and rear windows may also be placed.The front windshield can be further protected with an armored shutter
with vision slits in it. The cab itself does not have doors, though there is a
door on each side of the vehicle just behind the cab.There are also two doors in the rear.There are two firing ports on each side of the vehicle, and one in each
rear door; however, these are simply shuttered slits and do not seal the
vehicle.They do, however, allow
for rifle grenades and grenade launchers of up to 40mm in size to be fired
through them.The troop compartment
at the rear of the hull has a folding bench seat down either side.

The front of the
vehicle has the engine, which is normally a 134-horsepower gasoline engine.A 150-horsepower diesel engine is an option, though not one that has so
far been taken by any of its users.
Armor protection consists of all-welded steel and is largely designed for
protection against weapons that may be wielded by rioting civilians; it is not
heavy.There are two basic
variants: the Internal Security (IS) version, which has a roof hatch and
normally no roof armament, though a pintle mount with a light weapon can be
mounted at that hatch. (The stats below do not provide for this, and it is a
rare fit for the IS version.) The APC version has a small one-man,
electrically-powered turret with a machinegun in it and all-around vision
blocks.The APC variant normally
has a cluster of four smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret; the IS
version normally has a wire cutter on a pole above the vehicle.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

IS (Gas Engine)

$7,033

G, A

1.9 tons

5.2 tons

2+12

2

WL Spotlight

Enclosed

IS (Diesel Engine)

$7,088

D, A

1.9 tons

5.2 tons

2+12

2

WL Spotlight

Enclosed

APC (Gas Engine)

$32,559

G, A

1.8 tons

5.4 tons

2+12

2

WL Spotlight, Passive IR (G)

Enclosed

APC (Diesel Engine)

$32,614

D, A

1.8 tons

5.4 tons

2+12

2

WL Spotlight, Passive IR (G)

Enclosed

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

IS (Gas Engine)

245/60

56/14

98

88

Stnd

W(3)

HF3HS2HR2

IS (Diesel Engine)

268/65

62/15

98

74

Stnd

W(3)

HF3HS2HR2

APC (Gas Engine)

236/58

55/13

98

91

CiH

W(3)

TF3TS2TR2HF3HS2HR2

APC (Diesel Engine)

258/63

60/14

98

77

CiH

W(3)

TF3TS2TR2HF3HS2HR2

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

APC

None

Basic

L-37A1

3750x7.62mm

NP Aerospace CAV-100

Notes:This is a very light armored car used primarily in UN peacekeeping roles
and by international aid agencies which are operating in hostile areas; it is
also used by dignitary protection units, including by the US State Department,
and has served in some armies the same role as up-armored HMMWVs have served in
the US Army.It is based on the
Land Rover Defender 110 chassis, and is armored with a glass composite armor
called Camac.Windows are bullet
resistant glass.The armor is
surprisingly effective for its weight and does not result in spalling during
hits.Thousands have been produced
since the mid-1990s.

There are doors
on both sides of the cab, a large door in the rear, and sliding hatch in the
roof where guards or observers can stand. A spare tire is also typically found
on the front bumper, where is can help provide some incidental frontal
protection.Seats in the rear can
be down either side or in rows like an SUV.APC-configured vehicles or cargo-configured vehicles are typically taller
in profile. The Camac shell can be augmented with additional Camac panels to
increase protection.The basic
armored shell is compression-molded in virtually one piece to increase integrity
of the structure. Other protection includes fire-resistant fuel tanks and a fire
detection and suppression system for the engine.The standard powerplant is a 134-horsepower gasoline engine, while the
CAV-100D is powered by a 200-horsepower turbocharged diesel engine.Options include air conditioning and heating, firing ports or ports to
pass documents, additional windows in the sides (the standard vehicle has the
windshield and side cab windows, and one in the rear), and more luxury
accommodations.